Highland Park seniors Connor LaFavre (right) and Hunter Holman won the boys doubles final, 6-4, 6-2, at the University Interscholastic League Class 4A state tournament April 29. LaFavre will play at Xavier University next season and Holman will join the team at Texas Tech University.

(Photo by THAO NGUYEN - DMN special contributor)

Elizabeth Porter of Highland Park serves against a doubles pairing from San Antonio Alamo Heights during the girls final. She and partner Margo Taylor won 6-4, 6-0.

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Photo by THAO NGUYEN
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DMN special contributor
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Highland Park’s Margo Taylor hits a return during the girls doubles final. The junior has won three team state titles and three individual titles.

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Photo by THAO NGUYEN
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DMN special contributor
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McCullough throws up a serve during his mixed-doubles final with Tedford.

(Photo by THAO NGUYEN - DMN Special Contributor)

Mixed doubles partners Elizabeth Tedford and Mac McCullough of Highland Park cheer each other on during the final match, which they won, 6-0, 6-4.

(Photo by THAO NGUYEN - DMN Special Contributor)

Chandler Carter thought her state tennis title hopes were over.

In the girls singles final of the University Interscholastic League Class 4A state tournament, the Highland Park sophomore went down a set and 1-5 in the second. One more game would seal it for her opponent, Domonique Garley of Saginaw High School.

“I just took whatever she gave me. She let up a little bit in the second, because I think she thought she had it,” Carter said. “I had nothing to lose, so I just kept going for it.”

Carter battled through more tense moments on her way to winning the three-hour marathon match — 1-6, 7-5, 7-5 — April 29 at University of Texas at Austin.

Highland Park breezed through its other finals at the tournament, taking state titles in straight sets in boys, girls and mixed doubles — the same four of five flights they won in 2013.

Not that winning is a new thing for Highland Park.

There’s the six-year streak of 129 straight wins in fall dual matches. Then there’s the 10 state team titles in 11 years — and 15 total since team competition started in the early 1980s.

And come springtime, in individual competition, the program has 49 state titles.

“As far as on the court, that’s what this program is about, is winning championships,” Holden said.

Tradition was already there when Holden came to Highland Park in 2000, he said. His previous coaching career had mostly been in the college ranks, including as an assistant at Clemson University and head coach at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette).

In Holden’s time in Highland Park, his players have won 11 team titles and 23 individual titles at state, according to UIL archives.

“Every team tries to outdo the team before,” Holden said. “It’s kind of a little rivalry thing between the players. Every freshman wants to come in and win four championships.”

Holden and assistant Tylir Jimenez coach especially well for kids who come in knowing only the singles game, senior boys doubles player Connor LaFavre said. But Holden doesn’t go easy.

“He’s really tough on us, because if we don’t win state, it’s considered a failed year,” LaFavre said. “So he really works us hard, and that’s good.”

LaFavre grew up around tennis from birth, with his mom and dad having played at Southern Methodist University and Southwest Texas State University, respectively. He played varsity for four years, with seven state titles to his name.

That matches a feat achieved at Highland Park only by Abby Stainback, who played from 2006-10.

The lone miss came LaFavre’s freshman year when he and his doubles partner lost at the district level. He came back the next year with more fire, he said, training harder to win.

Expectations didn’t faze him.

“I love a little extra pressure,” LaFavre said. “It just makes it all more exciting.”

LaFavre and his doubles partner, senior Hunter Holman, won their final match in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, against Austin Vandegrift. Holman also won a title last spring in boys doubles.

This time, with the pressure to win, Holman said he was happy, but more so relieved.

“When we walked out on the court, we always knew we were supposed to win and had to take care of business,” Holman said.

The doubles pairing moves on to the college ranks next year. LaFavre will be on scholarship at Xavier University in Ohio, while Holman will play as a preferred walk-on at Texas Tech University.

Highland Park will go up a level in 2014-15, too, with the switch to the new 6A designation.

Of the tennis program’s many individual championships, just one — girls singles in 1988 — came in Class 5A, with the school at one point falling under the former biggest classification.

Holden said the switch will breathe new life into the program. Highland Park already plays bigger schools outside of UIL tournament competition, he said.

The region tournament next season will bring some top competitors, Holden said, including Lake Travis, Austin Westlake and Klein. At state, he sees big challenges in Plano West and El Paso Coronado, but mostly this year’s team 5A champ, New Braunfels. The San Antonio-area school and Highland Park have met in four 4A team finals, with Highland Park taking three.

Holman said the team would have won in 5A this year. Carter, who has two more high school years, said she thinks they can win next year, too.

“We’re expecting it to be a really good challenge,” Holden said. “Me and Tylir and the team are all welcoming that.”

Park Cities/North Dallas editor Andrew Scoggin can be reached at ascoggin@neighborsgo.com. Follow him on Twitter at @AScoggin.